Have you ever thought about the seasons of life? Kids love to collect things like marbles, rocks, stamps, or favorite movie memorabilia. As you grow older, you might find that you are collecting baseball hats, vintage glassware, or sets of dishes. Eventually, though, you may outgrow your collections or decide that you are tired of spending hours of your life dusting the knick-knacks or want to have room in your garage to actually pull your vehicle out of the weather. Many of us are at a point in our lives where we want to simplify! We want to be able to travel, spend time in the garden, and make memories without the clutter of stuff holding us back.

If you have moved past the collecting season of life and are ready to simplify but not quite sure where to start because there is so much stuff in your life, here are some easy steps to help you simplify your life!

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10 Ways to Simplify Your Life

Clean out your closet

This may seem like a no-brainer, but most of us have stuff hanging in our closets or stuffed in boxes on the top shelves that we haven’t worn or used in years. If it hasn’t been worn in the past two years, what are you saving it for? Many people are saving old prom dresses, overcoats, uniforms, sweaters, scarves, and shoes that just don’t fit, aren’t in style, or don’t fit their current lifestyle.

Periodically we will go through our closets and sort out things that just don’t work for us anymore. We either take them to the local thrift store, give them to a friend or family member if it’s something they need, or just throw them away. Because, let’s face it, not everything deserves a 2nd life. Some things need to be tossed so they don’t end up cluttering someone else’s life.

Upgrade Your Dusting Technique

I will admit that I dislike dusting. It’s just not something that is high on my list of things to spend time on. The ceiling and corners above the kitchen cabinets are two places that typically get overlooked because they’re hard to get to. That’s why I’m upgrading my dusting tools this year and using the ZoomBroom. This lightweight, cordless stick blower was designed to clean outdoor areas like light snow, leaves, or small debris but I’m claiming it for my household dusting needs.

Another area that I often overlook is the basement steps and rafters. Now I can do spring cleaning this winter and get rid of the dust with the ZoomBroom and spend a fraction of the time.

ZoomBroom is a lightweight, powerful cordless stick blower that will quickly clean your outdoor living spaces. It recharges fast and stores easily, so it’s always ready to blow away leaves, debris, light snow and much more.

• Convenient storage
• Ergonomic handle for comfortable use
• Very lightweight (2 lb. with battery)
• Battery charger is included
• Plenty of power for the toughest debris
• Turbo-boost when needed
• Up to 30 min. standard battery life and over 13 min. on full turbo

Donate unused drink mugs

We all have drink mugs, sports bottles, or souvenir cups in our closets that we have accumulated over the years. But do we need them to take up that cabinet space? Donate them to the local thrift store and free up some great space.

If you have blank mugs and a Sharpie marker, you can decorate them and add them to a gift basket.

Skip Sales Ads

This reminds me of the classic Laura Numeroff books. If you don’t see the amazing sales happening in the sales ads, you might not be tempted to head to the stores. If you don’t walk into the stores, you might not buy more stuff. If you don’t buy more stuff, you won’t end up with extra stuff in your life.

Clean up what you have

A while back I took a good look at my salt and pepper shakers. They are little glass shakers, have been used daily for quite a few years, and just really don’t look that nice anymore. I debated whether I should just chunk them and buy a new set since they were not very expensive, but instead, I took a few minutes and cleaned the ones I had. Now they look brand new and only took 20 minutes.

Tip: Invest in a box of steel wool pads so you can clean up your stove or pots and pans so you can get new life out of the things you already have!

One of the areas I am working to streamline is my cleaning products. Have you looked in your cleaning cabinet to see how many products you have? I recently received a sample of products from Good Green cleaner that have small pods that you just add to a reusable bottle. That translates to less plastic in landfills and fewer replacement bottles you have to buy. The four clear biodegradable formulas are free from chemicals frequently found in household cleaners.

Slim down your bookshelf

We all have books that we love and will read multiple times. But do we really want to keep the hundreds of kids’ books that have not been read in 10 years? Go through your bookshelf and keep your favorites that are classics and then donate, sell to a used bookstore, or give the rest to a friend.

Clear out the Linen Closet

When was the last time you pulled out all your sheets and blankets? The most recent time I cleaned out the linen closet I found sheets that were missing the matches, some with bleach spots or holes, and even character sheets that the kids have outgrown. So why was I keeping them? Now is a great time to donate them to a pet shelter. Just call and see where to take the extras that can be used to keep these animals warm all winter.

Donate or use Soaps & Shampoo

Do you keep small travel soaps and shampoo bottles when you travel? If you do, then you probably have quite the stash in your bathroom. These are perfect to use on your next vacation or teen camp adventure. But you should periodically go through them and make sure you can use them soon or else donate them so you don’t have the clutter in your drawers.

Tip: Pair these soaps and shampoo bottles with a cute baby animal washcloth and you have the perfect little gift!

Get rid of old hangers

Most people have tons of plastic hangers that come when they buy new clothes. Since these aren’t really practical in the closet, they seem to just get tossed around and become extra clutter. Take them to your thrift store or donate them to a kid’s consignment sale so they can be used and get them out of your house.

Adopt the Plus/Minus Rule

If you add something to your life, you must subtract something from it. When you buy a new piece of clothing, get rid of one old piece that no longer fits. When you get a new DVD, look to see if you can sell or donate an old one you no longer want. One of my goals is to not buy new totes to store my stuff. I look through the containers I currently have and see if there are things I can get rid of rather than add more storage boxes to my closets.

I know there are other people on this same journey as me. We’re on a mission to simplify and streamline our living. What are your favorite tips and tricks for clearing out the clutter? I’d love to hear!